The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: ObviouslyNotAGolfer on January 28, 2017, 10:57:13 PM
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Does not have to be inexpensive, but of course I want my money's worth. I will pay for something that will last a long time and make great coffee.
I have had horrible luck with coffee makers in the last few years. We drink a mind-blowingly good blend made by Mountanos Bros in the Bay Area. Honestly, I think it puts just about every other coffee on the planet to shame (Yes, I've had the coffee in Rome, which IS pretty damn good). Their French Roast Decaf is very strong (Flavor-wise, it is decaf) and I drink it BLACK. I think any coffee worth drinking is worth drinking black. (OK, I do like the occasasional cappucino.)
We buy it at this awesome coffeehouse/sandwich shop called Au Coquelet in Berkeley. They make it VERY strong (flavorful). It serves as a great counterpoint to their great desserts.
We had a Krups machine for years, and it did a pretty good job of replicating the in-house taste. The Krups died and we bought a "Mr. Coffee". Garbage. We then took recommendation to buy a percolated coffee maker--hot water!!!
Please recommend a good drip model (no French Press please, I'm lazy) before I go crazy from lack of good coffee!!!!
Thanks.
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I am a complete coffee nerd, but also lazy. I have a french press, had expensive coffee makers, grind my own beans with a burr grinder.
However, when I go to make the daily drip coffee, I'm lazy. I'm on my second one of these in 6 years. I've been really happy with the new model I got a couple of months ago, it actually has an automatic cutoff unlike my $20 one from before.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B0L11K
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Does not have to be inexpensive, but of course I want my money's worth. I will pay for something that will last a long time and make great coffee.
I have had horrible luck with coffee makers in the last few years. We drink a mind-blowingly good blend made by Mountanos Bros in the Bay Area. Honestly, I think it puts just about every other coffee on the planet to shame (Yes, I've had the coffee in Rome, which IS pretty damn good). Their French Roast Decaf is very strong (Flavor-wise, it is decaf) and I drink it BLACK. I think any coffee worth drinking is worth drinking black. (OK, I do like the occasasional cappucino.)
We buy it at this awesome coffeehouse/sandwich shop called Au Coquelet in Berkeley. They make it VERY strong (flavorful). It serves as a great counterpoint to their great desserts.
We had a Krups machine for years, and it did a pretty good job of replicating the in-house taste. The Krups died and we bought a "Mr. Coffee". Garbage. We then took recommendation to buy a percolated coffee maker--hot water!!!
Please recommend a good drip model (no French Press please, I'm lazy) before I go crazy from lack of good coffee!!!!
Thanks.
The bonavita 1900 typically takes home the good value awards for high end coffee makers, in the automatic drip category.
If you're willing to go that far then you might as well get a kitchen scale to determine water:coffee ratio by mass. And then if you want to go farther than that, then you can get a burr grinder as well.
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This is the one that my roommate and my boyfriend each have, and they both swear by it. Not a coffee drinker myself, though, so I can't verify it.
https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-11571-01US-Coffee-Permanent-Filter/dp/B00LOCYKIQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485701779&sr=8-5&keywords=drip%2Bcoffee&th=1
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Following, because we have been dis-satisfied with every drip model we've tried for 15 years. They only last a few years, drips to the plate cause the plate to burn through and disintegrate, they back up and overflow easily even if cleaned with vinegar regularly, etc. Cheap makers with simple glass carafes have worked the best, but we want one with the heat-retaining carafe. Argh!
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Oooh, I would suggest either a manual french press, or I like this one we have, it's a Mr. Coffee.
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-Optimal-Thermal-Coffeemaker/dp/B0037ZG3DS/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485704683&sr=1-5&keywords=mr+coffee
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I'm not nearly as picky as the OP, but am satisfied with my cheap burr grinder from Cuisinart and cheap Melitta drip coffee maker.
I've generally liked the drip makers that use a cone filter, and disliked the ones that use a basket filter. The cone filter seems to make stronger coffee. YMMV.
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We have always used French Press coffee makers. The first several were made by Bodum and were glass....and the glass eventually broke. So we switched to plastic versions of french press and those are very good and work well when we go camping. However, they usually end up leaking over the years. So we just recently switched to a metal one. and it's very good! Should last many years. Keeps the coffee surprisingly hot and it's easy to clean and makes good coffee if you put good coffee grounds in it :)
https://www.amazon.com/SterlingPro-Double-Stainless-French-Coffee/dp/B00MMQOZ1U/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485706765&sr=1-2&keywords=sterling+pro
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This may not apply. I am not a picky coffee drinker. The OP says he/she doesn't like a Mr. Coffee. We've had a cheap Mr Coffee for several years and it seems just fine. What I've generally found is that if you don't think the coffee is good, you're probably not making it strong enough. Try adding more coffee. (If I were to make a full 12 cups of coffee, I would have the filter basket full to the top with coffee!)
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This produces the best cup of coffee I've ever had, although it takes a little more time and effort than a drip coffee maker:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3VXYTO2K46M68&coliid=I3B9KJ94QDJ80I
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-If you are not lazy:
French press or Aeropress
-If you are lazy:
Cone filter (#4 iirc) drip machine.
Hamilton beach models are cheap and work fine. $20-30. Nice carafe, no spill.
https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-12-Cup-Digital-49467/dp/B0097D2YE6/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485789081&sr=1-11&keywords=hamilton+beach+coffee+maker
I've tried a number of machines, presses, etc. For the nice stuff I make the effort to use the Bodun French press. For the daily brew, the Hamilton Beach drip is just fine. It's cheap so no great loss if it dies or a kiddo breaks the carafe. You can pay a lot more for the machine, but no guarantee it will last longer. They all operate on the same (very simple) principle.
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This produces the best cup of coffee I've ever had, although it takes a little more time and effort than a drip coffee maker:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3VXYTO2K46M68&coliid=I3B9KJ94QDJ80I
^^^Aeropress FTW. We originally bought one for camping, and soon after it replaced our drip machine at home as well.
Our backup "lazy" method is a small Bialetti stovetop unit.
I prefer both over french press. Both are less work and easier to clean than a french press.
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At home, I use an aeropress and have a kettle for water (SO likes tea) which is the main downside of the aeropress. I just make sure to clean up right away when finished. It seems to extract flavor a little better and I like my coffee a little darker.
I used to hate drip, but now that I experiment a bit I think it has more to do with the coffee than the method. I try to exclusively buy Lavazza now.
I was curious to try a Bialetti because it seems like it would function a little bit better than an aeropress by using pressure, and I often see old ones in thrift stores (but wary to purchase as they appear very used). But I don't really want more "things" in my kitchen either.
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If you want to go pour-over, supposedly these are the best. ?
Hario V60
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=psdc_367222011_t1_B00JNZ7VNW
PERSONALLY, I value a good milk foam over a good coffee brew. So I foam milk with my nespresso milk foamer and add it to my cheap cafe bustello coffee brewed in a hamilton beach drip brewer. A good milk foam is where it's at.
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Ive read this thread and I conclude that I fail at coffee...
I use this:
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-4-Cup-Switch-Coffeemaker/dp/B001KBZ95Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485873448&sr=8-5&keywords=mr+coffee+4+cup
But I got mine for 11$ at walmart.
Im not a very sophisticated coffee guy....
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We have been very happy with the: Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker, Stainless Steel (model 46201). Everything about it is very straightforward. Makes great coffee. Hard to know if it would be up to your standards, though.
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If you want to go pour-over, supposedly these are the best. ?
Hario V60
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=psdc_367222011_t1_B00JNZ7VNW
PERSONALLY, I value a good milk foam over a good coffee brew. So I foam milk with my nespresso milk foamer and add it to my cheap cafe bustello coffee brewed in a hamilton beach drip brewer. A good milk foam is where it's at.
I second the pour over method. It's extremely easy. Spoon in the appropriate amount of ground coffee, and pour in the appropriate amount of hot water. Clean up is easy as it's simply removing the filter and throwing it away. Rinse out the ceramic piece (or not) and you're good to go. Need to figure out a way to get hot water, although if you have a kettle or an office water-cooler that dispenses hot water, then you're set.
It's also much more compact than a standalone coffee maker. No electricity, etc. And it's one step closer to just using a Chemex but without having to time your pours.